Super Bowl Boosts HDTV Set Sales

As many as 2.6 million high-definition TV sets were schlepped home by consumers on account of Super Bowl XLIII, the Consumer Electronics Association predicts. The game has been the biggest driver behind HDTV set sales for the past three years.

“This year is expected to be another record-breaking year for HDTV sales with 29.8 million HD sets expected to ship, out of a total of 34.5 million digital televisions sold in the U.S. in 2009,” CEA said. “This is up from 26.8 million HD sets sold in 2008.”

Another factor influencing set sales is that HDTVs are getting cheaper, CEA said.

“In the past five years, the average wholesale price for an HDTV has fallen nearly 50 percent, to $849 in 2009.”

The electronics lobby said all types of DTVs are selling like hotcakes. It projects that more than 34.5 million DTV sets will ship this year; 26.8 million of them LCDs versus plasmas. Plasma is expected to account for 10 percent of sales this year.